Project brings Christmas gifts to seniors

Published
12:00 am CST, Monday, December 10, 2012

ALTON - Local volunteers and residents of Saint Clare's Villa in Alton are helping spread holiday cheer to lonely and financially challenged seniors by partnering with Home Instead Senior Care on their Be a Santa to a Senior project.

With children receiving the majority of attention during the gift-giving season, it is easy to forget that many seniors spend the holidays alone and in need of basic resources. This is where Be a Santa to a Senior steps in. Since 2006, the popular campaign has amassed more than 60,000 volunteers and helped bring over 1.2 million gifts to more than 700,000 needy seniors in North America.

The volunteers and residents of Saint Claire's Villa helped by wrapping donated gifts that are going to be distributed to seniors throughout the area in the coming weeks.

"Our goal is to provide over 300 gifts to Madison County seniors," said Lori Key, marketing and client care consultant at Home Instead Senior Care.

Home Instead Senior Care collaborates with community businesses and organizations every year, through Be a Santa to a Senior, to identify seniors who might not receive gifts during the holiday season.

Beginning the first week of November, seniors' gift requests are written on Be a Santa to a Senior tree ornaments. This year, trees were located at local businesses such as Glenhaven Gardens and Senior Services Plus in Alton, Ravanelli's and Home Instead Senior Care in Collinsville, and 1st Mid-Illinois Bank and Trust in Maryville. Volunteers went to one of these businesses, chose an ornament, then purchased and returned the gift to the participating business.

Gift-wrapping events also took place at Glenhaven Gardens, Eden Village and Legacy Place.